Software that still works needs someone looking after it
A lot of legacy software is still doing its job: taking orders, running a member portal, producing certificates or printing labels. It was built years ago by a developer or a vendor who has since moved on, and nobody has touched it in a long time. That is fine until the hosting renewal arrives, a browser update changes how a form behaves, or a staff member asks who to call.
An ongoing support retainer gives that software a steady owner. Each month we check the basics, apply updates in a controlled way, fix small problems as they come up, and tell you in plain English what we found. You do not have to learn the technology. You get someone who learns your system and answers when you write.
How a retainer starts
Every retainer begins with a Takeover Assessment. In about two weeks we learn the system, document it, move backups, hosting and access into accounts you own, and list what needs fixing with a price on each item. The assessment fee is credited in full toward your first three months of any retainer if you sign within 90 days of the report. If you sign within that window, the assessment works as your trial of the work.
If something is already broken, start with Rescue instead. We restore the one named failure first, then talk about ongoing support.
The three retainers
| Retainer | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Keep-Alive | $2,000 per month, 3-month minimum, then month-to-month | Stable software that mostly needs watching and the occasional fix |
| Support Plus | $4,500 per month, 3-month minimum | Software that changes: about 12 hours a month of fixes and small enhancements |
| Own-It | $8,500 per month, 3-month minimum, by request | Software the business depends on daily and wants developed, not just kept alive |
Prices are in USD with a fixed scope. We do not bill hourly on retainers.
Keep-Alive
Keep-Alive is the floor of care. Each month it includes:
- Hosting, backup and access-custody checks, so you know where the software lives and who can reach it.
- Dependency and patch updates, delivered as pull requests that are reviewed before anything changes.
- Up to six small fix-as-you-go tickets per month.
- Business-hours email support.
- A plain-English monthly note: what we looked at, what we changed, what is coming.
Support Plus
Support Plus includes everything in Keep-Alive and adds about 12 hours a month of fixes and small enhancements, plus next-business-day response priority. It suits software where staff keep asking for small changes: a new report column, a form field, a rule that no longer matches how you work.
Own-It
Own-It is for the system you would otherwise have rebuilt or staffed. It adds roughly 30 to 40 hours a month of AI-assisted development under human review. Own-It is available by request, with a 3-month minimum. An optional on-call add-on is available on Own-It only, at $2,000 per month, with a four-hour response. On-call is not part of Keep-Alive or Support Plus.
What we do not do inside a retainer
Requests that fall outside the monthly scope are quoted as fixed-price projects, from $750, before any work starts. You never get a surprise invoice. We also do not make production changes without your written approval, and we do not offer security assessments or security testing. If you need one, we will point you to a specialist.
How the work is done
We use AI tools for the first pass on updates and routine fixes. A person reads, tests and approves every change before it ships, and we tell you this on the first call and in the written scope. Changes arrive as pull requests or as a documented step, never as silent edits to a live system. Access lives in a credential vault that you own, so if you ever leave, you keep everything. Retainers have a three-month minimum, and Keep-Alive runs month-to-month after that.
If you want to see how this plays out week to week, read How It Works and the pricing page. Questions about whether your stack is a fit are usually answered in one email.
Is a retainer right for you?
A retainer makes sense when the software matters to the business, nobody in-house can maintain it, and the cost of an unplanned outage is higher than a monthly fee. It is not the right choice if the system is about to be replaced next month, or if you need new features built from scratch. In that case a fix project or upgrade is a better start.
If you are not sure, tell us what you have. We will reply with an honest view of whether Keep-Alive, Support Plus or something smaller is the right fit, even if that means telling you that you do not need us yet.
